If you like Japanese role-playing games but haven’t played Suikoden II, you’re really out of excuses.
That original PlayStation classic is currently on sale for $2.50 on the PlayStation Store (you can play the downloadable version on the PlayStation 3, Vita, or PSP). That’s 75 percent off the original $10 price, but only if you’re a PlayStation Plus subscriber. Otherwise, it’s only 50 percent off.
Many regard Suikoden II as one of the greatest JRPGs ever made. I finally played it myself this year (along with the original), and it was definitely a fun and memorable experience. If you’re worried about playing the sequel while bypassing the first game, you can still get the first Suikoden on the PlayStation Store. However, it’s not on sale, so you’ll have to pay the full price (a whopping $6 dollars).
Playing the original is worth it since you can use your game save to unlock some special events in the sequel if you fulfill certain conditions, but the sequel easily stands on its own and is easily the better game (thanks to a more satisfying and emotional story). So, don’t feel bad if you want to skip straight to Suikoden II.